The United States women's basketball team head to Berlin chasing a 12th gold medal, carrying a squad that brings 14 Olympic golds and 58 WNBA All-Star appearances between them. The 12 players named for the 2026 FIBA World Cup are a mix of experience and new blood. Breanna Stewart is at her fourth World Cup, yet seven of her team-mates are debutants, among them Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. That contrast sets the tone for a new era, one where A'ja Wilson's title-winning consistency sits alongside the ambition of the newcomers. "Wearing a USA jersey is a privilege," said Sue Bird, the team's managing director.
Head coach Kara Lawson underlined how hard the final cut had been. "It's been a long process to whittle it down to 12 players," she admitted. In the group stage the Americans face China, Italy and the Czech Republic. On the court in Berlin, these twelve women will play for one thing only, because in American basketball silver is treated as defeat.
